The crew of the BUK missile launcher suspected of shooting down the Malaysian Airways passenger jet MH17 on 17 July were Russian soldiers, according to eyewitnesses interviewed by BBC Panorama.

Reporter John Sweeney told the Today programme that three eyewitnesses separately told the programme that they saw the BUK in rebel-held territory a few hours before the Boeing jet was hit. He added that one eyewitness said that the BUK's crew "spoke with Moscow accents".

See the full story on BBC Panorama: Putin's Gamble, BBC One, 8.30 BST, Monday 8 September.

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Monday 8 September.